Genetics & DNA
This webpage focuses on my reasons for doing the Y-DNA test to determine my ancestral origins. The majority of testing firms, ISOGG and online encyclopedias have excellent look-up webpages that explain the techniques, terminology and current nomenclature. However, bear in mind that 10-12 DYS markers will help estimate your haplogroup, and 20-25 markers for surname grouping (excluding abundant R1b1's like myself, where you will need more markers). A full 67-marker test is recommended. I have done the 111-marker test.
FOREWORD
Some detail of the direct paternal line passing directly from father to son using the Y-chromosome (Y-STR) can be revealed for genealogical studies. As all males on the same family tree, bearing the same name and more distant paternity, share the same Y-chromosome, DNA is one way to show family connections over many hundreds of years - further back than historical records. Having R1b1, I have one of the most common haplotypes in Europe. Further SNP testing has refined this to revised the 2015 revised classification of R1b1a2a1a1c2b2a1a2 (below Z7) aka R-CTS10893. I am participating on other deep clade tests as they become available to see what genetic story emerges.
The basis for my project is to try to determine the genetic relationship, if any, between my GRACE family tree and any other GRACE family tree pre-1820, or any other family names. My personal interest is that the paper trail for my branch has not been found prior to 1836 (the marriage of my 3xGGF, born c1811). It is hoped that sufficient results will eventually be found to represent the main GRACE families, particularly those linked to ancient population centres of the name, such as Co. Kilkenny in Ireland and the Buckinghamshire area of England, and therefore confirm my GRACE surname origins, or confirm another family connection if my 3xGGF was an orphan, which is most likely. So far other GRACE family names tested outside of my GRACE family are far-removed from my own. My haplotype, which was confirmed to be truly representative of my GRACE family tree in 2010 (by a match to my most distant living male relative - a third cousin), is closest to a type commonly referred to as Frisian, relating to the concentration of that haplotype in region of Frisia (the coastal islands of present-day Netherlands & Germany).
The basis for my project is to try to determine the genetic relationship, if any, between my GRACE family tree and any other GRACE family tree pre-1820, or any other family names. My personal interest is that the paper trail for my branch has not been found prior to 1836 (the marriage of my 3xGGF, born c1811). It is hoped that sufficient results will eventually be found to represent the main GRACE families, particularly those linked to ancient population centres of the name, such as Co. Kilkenny in Ireland and the Buckinghamshire area of England, and therefore confirm my GRACE surname origins, or confirm another family connection if my 3xGGF was an orphan, which is most likely. So far other GRACE family names tested outside of my GRACE family are far-removed from my own. My haplotype, which was confirmed to be truly representative of my GRACE family tree in 2010 (by a match to my most distant living male relative - a third cousin), is closest to a type commonly referred to as Frisian, relating to the concentration of that haplotype in region of Frisia (the coastal islands of present-day Netherlands & Germany).
INTRODUCTION
VIEW THE Y-DNA HAPLOTREE
GLOSSARY OF TERMS (FTDNA)
R1b is considered to belong to the descendants of the first modern humans who entered Europe about 35,000-40,000 years ago (also referred to as the Aurignacian culture, which included the cave painters in today's France & Spain). They were the contemporaries of the European Neanderthals, a separate human species.
R1b is the most common Y haplogroup in Europe, with more than half of European men carrying it. Most of the present-day European males with the M343 marker also have the P25 and M269 markers, which together define the R1b1b2 subclade. This subgroup is believed by some to have existed before the last Ice Age. Archaeological evidence supports the view of the arrival of Aurignacian culture to Anatolia from Europe during the Upper Palaeolithic rather than from the Iranian plateau to the east. New age estimates suggest that R1b's parent, R1, is only about 18,500 years old.
Although the precise route of the M269 marker is not known, it is theorized to have originated in Central Asia/South Central Siberia. It could have entered prehistoric Europe from the area of Ukraine/Belarus or Central Asia (Kazakhstan) via the coasts of the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea. It is considered to have entered Europe sometime after the Last Glacial Maximum when the continent became increasingly uninhabitable. The genetic diversity narrowed as the population became limited to a few coastal refugia in Southern Europe. The present-day population of R1b in Western Europe are believed to be the descendants of a refugium in the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain). As conditions eased about 14,000 years ago, descendants of this group migrated and eventually recolonised all of Western Europe, with a concentration of that haplotype in region of Frisia (the coastal islands of present-day Netherlands & Germany). This raises the interesting possibility my GRACE family may be immigrants to Britain within historical times.
R1b is the most common Y haplogroup in Europe, with more than half of European men carrying it. Most of the present-day European males with the M343 marker also have the P25 and M269 markers, which together define the R1b1b2 subclade. This subgroup is believed by some to have existed before the last Ice Age. Archaeological evidence supports the view of the arrival of Aurignacian culture to Anatolia from Europe during the Upper Palaeolithic rather than from the Iranian plateau to the east. New age estimates suggest that R1b's parent, R1, is only about 18,500 years old.
Although the precise route of the M269 marker is not known, it is theorized to have originated in Central Asia/South Central Siberia. It could have entered prehistoric Europe from the area of Ukraine/Belarus or Central Asia (Kazakhstan) via the coasts of the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea. It is considered to have entered Europe sometime after the Last Glacial Maximum when the continent became increasingly uninhabitable. The genetic diversity narrowed as the population became limited to a few coastal refugia in Southern Europe. The present-day population of R1b in Western Europe are believed to be the descendants of a refugium in the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain). As conditions eased about 14,000 years ago, descendants of this group migrated and eventually recolonised all of Western Europe, with a concentration of that haplotype in region of Frisia (the coastal islands of present-day Netherlands & Germany). This raises the interesting possibility my GRACE family may be immigrants to Britain within historical times.
This subclade, to which I belong, appears to be in over 25% of R1b. This group has a maximum in Frisia. The U106 subclade may have originated towards the end of the last ice age, or perhaps more or less 7000 BC, possibly in the northern European mainland. A close match of the present-day distribution of the S21 marker and the territorial pattern of the Eastern Corded Ware cultures and the Single Grave cultures has been reported. Before the North Sea basin completely filled with water from glacial melting (post recently geologically mapped flooding by tsunami, due to the subsea collapse of part of the shelf off Norway), Britain was attached by land to the Continent. I may be a descendant of the tribes who inhabited this area, now under water, sometimes referred to as "Doggerland".
My current Haplogroup definition as of 2015: R1b1a2a1a1c2b2a1a2 (below Z7) aka R-CTS10893). You can compare your Y-DNA data with mine at:
Y-DNA
Mutations are thought to occur (on average) once every 500 years, so theoretically an exact match could be traced back to within a time since surnames were established (C13th) assuming the paper trail exists and a genetic link is suspected (i.e. the same family name or a known "non-paternity event" (Non-Patrilineal Transmissions (King & Jobling 2009))). NPEs or NPTs, where calculated, are of the order of a few percent in modern times. Any greater difference is likely to indicate that a connection would be before the use of surnames, but would have regional significance. If there is any genetic link between 4 mutations and greater, then this is most likely to have been in excess of 2,000 years ago.
RESULTS FROM THE GRACE Y-DNA PROJECT
My mtDNA:
HVS-1 sequence mutations from CRS defining Haplogroup
T1a - 16126C, 16163G, 16186T, 16189C, 16294T, 16519C
HVS-2 differences: 073G, 152C, 183G, 195C, 263G, 309.1C, 315.1C
HVS-1 sequence mutations from CRS defining Haplogroup
T1a - 16126C, 16163G, 16186T, 16189C, 16294T, 16519C
HVS-2 differences: 073G, 152C, 183G, 195C, 263G, 309.1C, 315.1C
mtDNA
To find how my 3xGGF Jeremiah GRACE is related to any other family (if an orphan or immigrant), I will need to find a match to 4-5 generations, as defined on the chart above, i.e. using more than 40 markers, with associated regional and genealogical evidence, suggesting a connection within the last 200 years, possibly in the East Midlands & East Anglia region of England or a Frisian (Dutch or German) immigrant. Since he claimed Colchester as his place of birth, he could quite easily be the son of some unknown soldier (being a military town) and a local prostitute.
I have 67 markers tested so far, with the best recorded match being 40 out of 44 markers for a non-GRACE surname, a provisional genetic distance (GD) of 4. In 2010, one of my most distant cousins (a third cousin or 3C) tested for 67 markers, and apart from 1 fast mutator (DYS576), confirmed the haplotype for our GRACE family tree, i.e. we can be sure we are descended from the same ancestor (William), the current known head of our family tree, and that there has been no NPT along our two lines. With this confirmed, the focus for the genetic history of our family can focus outside of the known tree.
Early statistic on DYS576, a fast mutator, 42% of R1bs have 18 tandem repeats. With my value at 17 (26%) and my 3C at 16 (6%), suggests the mutation that separates us most likely occurred along his line (although mutations can mutate up as well as down). This would only be revealed if more GRACE cousins were tested.
My GRACE Y-DNA Project, compared to the small sample of other GRACEs tested so far, finds no match. The nearest GRACEs on YSearch are a GD of 9 on 25 markers and 13 on 37 markers, both with connections to Ireland. Based on the lack of a genealogical trail that explains the origins of my 3xGGF Jeremiah GRACE (born around 1811), I am looking for "the needle in a haystack" genetic connection to any other family.
Any GRACE family name DNA worldwide can be compared at the Worldwide GRACE DNA Study. All GRACE males interested are welcome to join.
I have 67 markers tested so far, with the best recorded match being 40 out of 44 markers for a non-GRACE surname, a provisional genetic distance (GD) of 4. In 2010, one of my most distant cousins (a third cousin or 3C) tested for 67 markers, and apart from 1 fast mutator (DYS576), confirmed the haplotype for our GRACE family tree, i.e. we can be sure we are descended from the same ancestor (William), the current known head of our family tree, and that there has been no NPT along our two lines. With this confirmed, the focus for the genetic history of our family can focus outside of the known tree.
Early statistic on DYS576, a fast mutator, 42% of R1bs have 18 tandem repeats. With my value at 17 (26%) and my 3C at 16 (6%), suggests the mutation that separates us most likely occurred along his line (although mutations can mutate up as well as down). This would only be revealed if more GRACE cousins were tested.
My GRACE Y-DNA Project, compared to the small sample of other GRACEs tested so far, finds no match. The nearest GRACEs on YSearch are a GD of 9 on 25 markers and 13 on 37 markers, both with connections to Ireland. Based on the lack of a genealogical trail that explains the origins of my 3xGGF Jeremiah GRACE (born around 1811), I am looking for "the needle in a haystack" genetic connection to any other family.
Any GRACE family name DNA worldwide can be compared at the Worldwide GRACE DNA Study. All GRACE males interested are welcome to join.
R1b1 Y-DNA is generally of no assistance to those wishing to find a genealogical connection, since a large proportion of the population with ancient European origins carries this haplotype. There are millions of individuals in thousands of families. Even people with the same surname cannot be linked using this alone, unless proven by a family tree, as they may have origins with non-relations in a particular location (e.g. HILL) or with a specific occupation (e.g. SMITH). It is very likely that similar family names were attained for different reasons in different places, and have since been standardised, and as result there will be no modern family connection, even among most GRACEs. However, we do have an ancient family connection, as genetics have already established that all humans are related and therefore we are all cousins. It is just a question of time.
Statistically, there is a web that connects not only people living on the planet today, but to everyone who ever lived. Calculations show that you would have to go back in time only 2,000 to 5,000 years to find somebody who could count every person alive today as a descendant. A little further back, about 5,000 to 7,000 years ago, everybody living today has exactly the same set of ancestors. In other words, every person who was alive at that time is either an ancestor to all 6 billion people living today, or their line died out and they have no remaining descendants. It is exponential growth combined with the facts of life. By the 15th century everyone has a million ancestors. By the C13th you've got a billion. Sometime around the 9th century, about 40 generations ago, the number tops a trillion. The individual from whom all modern human mtDNA is descended, would have lived 120,000 to 150,000 years ago.
DNA patterns found in people throughout the world have now identified lineages descended from 10 "sons" of a "genetic Adam" and 18 "daughters" of a "genetic Eve".
Statistically, there is a web that connects not only people living on the planet today, but to everyone who ever lived. Calculations show that you would have to go back in time only 2,000 to 5,000 years to find somebody who could count every person alive today as a descendant. A little further back, about 5,000 to 7,000 years ago, everybody living today has exactly the same set of ancestors. In other words, every person who was alive at that time is either an ancestor to all 6 billion people living today, or their line died out and they have no remaining descendants. It is exponential growth combined with the facts of life. By the 15th century everyone has a million ancestors. By the C13th you've got a billion. Sometime around the 9th century, about 40 generations ago, the number tops a trillion. The individual from whom all modern human mtDNA is descended, would have lived 120,000 to 150,000 years ago.
DNA patterns found in people throughout the world have now identified lineages descended from 10 "sons" of a "genetic Adam" and 18 "daughters" of a "genetic Eve".
SUMMARY
Worldwide GRACE DNA Project
